THE RESIDENT received a reply from Mr. Greg Meadowcroft of the International Service Group Lda to the article ‘ISG centre of controversy again’ printed on the front page of last week’s edition. Here we print his statement:
“ This article, which appeared in the last edition of The Resident, contains allegations which are false. They are also potentially damaging to ourselves, our business and all those who work in it. The article was printed without The Resident contacting any of the people or the companies that are the subject of these allegations.
“ Correction
This article has effectively resurrected allegations from a damaging campaign which was started almost 10 years ago and which has targeted certain people and businesses based in the Cascais area. There are several criminal defamation complaints in progress against perpetrators of this campaign. The following specific points should be noted in relation to the article of last week.
Re: the court case stated
in paragraph 1:
• The company which was the defendant in the lawsuit was not ISG Lda. It was International Service Group Ltd (Liechtenstein), a financial services company based in Liechtenstein.
• The case is currently under appeal.
• The judge of first instance awarded a third of the amount that the plaintiff had sought. It was not found that money had been improperly held; and the decision that anything at all was payable was due to lack of physical evidence concerning matters dating back more than 12 years.
Re: the allegations of sect,
brainwashing, etc etc;
• This is all a regurgitation of the same defamatory campaign which occurred back in the mid 1990s. In an article of January 23, 1998 in your own newspaper you accurately exposed that these allegations were without justification. Nothing has changed in the last 7 years to give support to those allegations.
• The campaign has caused great distress to a large number of people, including the children of those who have been targeted.
Re: the allegations of fraud
and business malpractice:
• International Service Group Ltd (Liechtenstein) (1988 – current) was the successor to investment business ISG U.K. (1984-1996). It has conducted a reputable investment business in various locations outside Portugal for many many years. ISG U.K.’s former managing director is the key perpetrator of this campaign. So far he is facing a criminal defamation complaint in Portugal and further complaints are in process.
• The allegation of fraud is completely untrue. No fraud has ever occurred – and nor has any been found by any court anywhere in the world – in relation to International Service Group Ltd (Liechtenstein) or any other company associated with it or with its directors. Indeed this allegation is a central element of the criminal defamation cases.
• Neither International Service Group Ltd (Liechtenstein) nor ISG Lda existed in 1987 (ref. The final paragraph of your article).
• Acamudes Ltd and the other ‘offshore companies’ are companies which were set up and run until April 1989 by this former managing director. A global auditing company asked the directors of the International Service Grouip Ltd (Liechtenstein) to become directors and assume management. Absolutely no ‘improper means’ were used.
• Yes to Consulting is a Portuguese S.A. company. It is not trading as either International Service Group Ltd, ISG Lda or as any other company. It has its own business and trades in its own right. ”
